Viney, Donald Wayne

1999 0-7734-7934-1The first part of this book, Abel and Abel, is a story written by Breton philosopher Jules Lequyer which explores the questions of divine justice and human inequality. This is the first published English translation of this work. The second part is Donald Wayne Viney’s biography of Lequyer, which uses Prosper Hémon’s biography of Lequyer (Notice Biographique de Jules Lequyer) written in the late 19th century as well as a number of sources unavailable to Hémon. It is the most complete biography of Lequyer currently available.

1998 0-7734-8366-7Translated, Edited and With an Introduction by Donald Wayne Viney.
The translator's Introduction provides a brief account of Lequyer's life and an orientation to his thought on the question of foreknowledge and human free will. The Hornbeam Leaf is a brief autobiographical reflection on Lequyer's first realization of the feeling of freedom. It is an impressionistic but vivid summary of the main themes of Lequyer's philosophy of freedom. The Dialogue of the Predestinate and the Reprobate is an imaginative, passionate, and philosophically informed discussion of the problem of human freedom and divine omniscience. Renouvier called it 'a dramatic metaphysical masterpiece, probably without equal in any literature.' Eugene and Theophilus summarizes Lequyer's views on freedom and foreknowledge.